Author: Rafael León Rodríguez

Rafael Leon Rodriguez, 30 December 2016 — One more year of the young third millennium is about to conclude and give way to the next, 2017, the fifty-eighth of the totalitarian and one-party regime that, under the omnipotent power of the Castros, has controlled the Cuban archipelago since the middle of the last century.

This year, which is now over, has witnessed important and hopeful political events on the islands, framed fundamentally in the real opportunity of an opening towards a new, prosperous and plural state of law.

The visit to Havana of the President of the United States of America, Barack Obama, last March, certified the political will of the head of the US executive branch of government to accompany us in this essential and urgent task. continue reading

The European Union, for its part, recently concluded an agreement with Cuba to try to leave behind the so-called Common Position and to make viable other political openings.

The refusal of the Cuban authorities to take positive steps in terms of civil and political rights of citizens — that promote their plural participation in the political and economic development of society — has stopped the start of this process of democratic opportunities.

The other significant event of the year that will soon end was the physical disappearance of Fidel Castro. The fall of the founder of the dictatorial regime began, actually, ten years ago, in July of 2006 when, due to health problems, he was forced to hand over power to his brother Raúl. This transit towards the end, announced in some way, concluded last November.

But in our opinion, all this recent history must be analyzed and projected in the future, which obviously does not imply erasing historical memory. Cuba and the Cubans deserve a better present and a hopeful future.

However, so far, the authorities are reluctant to take steps in the direction of respect for civil liberties and the human rights of society. Worse still, they have increased repression and harassment of peaceful opponents and open dissent. This reality, coupled with the uncertainty caused by statements by the US President-elect Mr. Donald Trump on migratory issues, which may have some effect on certain modifications to the Cuban Adjustment Act, have once again triggered a citizen exodus in all directions.

The country’s economic scenario also remains stressed, a victim of lack of productivity and government contradictions. Right now, President Raúl Castro informed the National Assembly that we are in an “economic recession.” The nation’s GDP decreased 0.9% in 2016.

The historical dependence of specific countries, as for example in recent times to Venezuela, paralyzes us when they suffer adverse situations. In these December declarations to Parliament, the president also assured us that Cuba would not return to the capitalism. Nevertheless, he called for work to boost foreign investment.

That is: the investment of foreign capitalists in Cuba. Then: capitalism in Cuba, but not of Cubans. Is not this a contradiction and an absurdity? In essence we continue to live under the effects of a systemic crisis that, of course, will only be resolved when the prevailing system changes. A system that has already provided evidence that proves that it has not been successful in those Western countries where they have implemented it. And we belong to that part of the world: the Western Hemisphere.

In recent years, Cuban institutions dealing with statistical issues have been warning of the accelerated aging of the population. And even, they warn about the decrease of the population, saying that we will never reach 12 million people. False. We are already more than that, scattered all over the world. Therefore, we must begin by recovering them through a necessary new law.

One Constitution that we contemplate recognizes all of us, through dual citizenship, with rights and duties as equals, without privileges of individuals, groups or classes. Beginning a process of democratization involving all the children of the Cuban nation and based on the United Nations Human Rights Covenants, which have been signed by the Cuban authorities and now are only awaiting ratification and implementation.

Then and only then, we will leave behind the crises and will begin a new era of progress towards modernity, prosperity and the common good, with all, for all and in Peace.

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Rafael Leon Rodriguez, 8 June 2016 — The 21st Congress of the Christian Democratic Organization of America (CADO) ended on May 27the in the Chilean capital. The Cuban Democratic Project (PRODECU) sent a representation of its leadership to the event, composed of members residing in Cuba and in the Diaspora, headed by Rosa María Rodríguez Torrado.

The new leadership elected for the 2016-2019 period consists of Juan Carlos Latorre as president and Francisco Javier Jara as Executive Secretary. The outgoing president, Don Jorge Ocejo Moreno, was unanimously elected first vice president of this new leadership. The two vice presidencies of Special Affairs created in 20th Congress remained: Rafael Leon of PRODECU and Eduardo Cardet of the Christian Liberation Movement, both based in Cuba. For vice president of the Caribbean area, Rene Hernandez Bequet of the Christian Democratic Party of Cuba. was elected.

The conclave was attended, among other personalities, by the former Chilean president Eduardo Frei, the President of the Republic of Chile, Dr. Michel Bachelet, who devoted a few words to the audience gathered in the old Palace of Congress, where this major meeting of Social Christians of Our America was held.

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Rafael Leon Rodriguez,1 September 2015 — Cuba is preparing to receive Pope Francis, who will visit in the month of September as a “Mission of Mercy.” The third Pontiff who comes to these lands in just over 17 years. He was preceded by Benedict XVI, the “Pilgrim of Charity,” and the now Saint John Paul II, as the “Messenger of Truth and Hope.”

It was he who marked a milestone in the recent history of Cubans and inspired the beginning, with its advances and setbacks, of the current reform processes. This last 17 December and the events that day revealed, are frames in his call for the world to open itself to Cuba and for Cuba to open itself to the world, overcoming all, all the fears, realized in January of 1998. continue reading

But, the times of the Cuban authorities continue at an inappropriate rhythm for all that needs to be transformed. Now they declared that they are documenting, by request, the theory of the named socialism of the 21st Century. After experiencing live, as is the custom, in the great national laboratory, surely will visualize the supposed thesis and the certain supposed results. They also announced the holding of the 7th Congress of the only party, the Communist, this coming April.

And they had already announced the promulgation of a new electoral law and even a new constitution. The issue is that they are continuing to ignore and marginalize the political diversity in the country and everything decided, as in every military authoritarian government, continues to be through command and control.

Now, after reestablishing diplomatic relations between Cuba and the United States of America, the need to also start of process of normalization of relations between the regime and the Cuban people has also been demonstrated, which should be nothing other than an opening toward democratic plurality and a rule of law. The peaceful opposition, within and outside the Cuban archipelago, worked for these objectives.

The “Declaration of Morelos” and more recently the “Declaration of San Juan” are in line with this. The announced presence of Pope Francis among us we hope will contribute, with his already proven experience, to push this other just cause.

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Rafael Leon Rodriguez , 22 May 2015 — A little over five months have transpired since the conversations between the governments of Cuba and the United States of America were made public. After half a century of disconnected positions, hope has returned of renewing the ties that have historically linked the two nations. An exchange of political prisoners, conversations about the reestablishment of diplomatic relations, consideration of measures to improve exchanges between the two countries, of communications, of human rights; removal of Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, among other significant steps, auger a new era for Cubans and Americans.

As for the relationship between the authorities of the archipelago with the national society in this new scenario, everything appears to reaffirm that only the economic categories are subject to modifications or changes, but the political categories remain unalterable, based on the anti-democratic hegemony of a single party. They talk about a new electoral law but the first-round votes for the delegates to the Municipal Assembles this last April was conducted under the existing law. They suggest they are considering enacting another constitution, but provide no information about this important issue. continue reading

Now, finally, they sent a strong and clear message at the 7th Summit of the Americas in Panama, of intolerance in the face of political diversity. To the representatives of Cuba’s independent civil society that attended the parallel forums, they confronted us with dozens of members of the civil society dependent on the Cuban State, sent as representatives of a questionable institutional civility.

Ordered to show through their actions their loyalty to the regime, they preferred confrontation over the sharing of spaces for dialog with their fellow compatriots. If it weren’t for the significance of the event itself for the present and future of the nation, we could call on island humor, rejoicing over having two civil societies: one dependent and one independent of the State.

In the speeches of the most senior political leaders of the archipelago about the conversations with the American authorities, we heard constant allusions to: “We must learn to live with respect for our differences.”

Is the national context not applicable to this affirmation. The Cuban nation belongs to all Cubans, independent of where we find ourselves and the way we thing. We are people, we are diverse, we are all subjects of the law and respect for our human dignity.

Beyond the importance of normalization of relations without neighbors to the north, the formation of a true Cuban nation “of all with for the good of all” should not and cannot be kept waiting.

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Taken from Wikipedia.org
The latest developments in negotiations between the authorities of the Cuban government and those of the United States augur interesting expectations for peoples on both sides of the Straits of Florida in the coming year of 2015. The announced normalization of diplomatic relations at the level of embassies will certainly strengthen the creation of new and significant bridges for both societies.

To what extent this new political context will help the empowerment of civil society in Cuba will depend, primarily, on whether Cubans will be able to continue working peacefully to achieve Cuba’s return to democracy, freedoms and the rule of law.

The Cuban regime must recognize, finally, that human rights constitute an indivisible whole. The ratification and implementation of the International Treaties on Civil and Political rights and Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, signed by the government of the island in 2008, and they are still a crucial unresolved issue this, they must endorse the law.

If the blockade or embargo of the United States against Cuba is one more violation of the human rights of the Cuban people, this hiding behind the adoption of a Constitution in 1976, now disregarded, to legitimize a singular government party and discriminate against political plurality, is also. Both violations must cease.

We so-called Cuban political minorities have inalienable rights that must be respected by the authorities of the regime, which, after 56 years of totalitarian power, show that in the interior of the country the only things “updated” are the poverty, hopelessness, failure, corruption and escapism.

Many people in the world, because of goodwill, accompany the Cuban people in an attempt to facilitate the recovery of their freedoms and improve their situation through dialogue and negotiation. Pope Francis sublimely represents all of them. We thank you.

We are confident that the coming year will bring Cubans to the so long-awaited national reconciliation, with justice and peace. We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a bright New Year 2015 of our Lord.

Rafael León Rodríguez, General Coordinator
Cuban Democratic Project

Translated by: Hombre de Paz

24 December 2014

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The 32nd Havana International Fair (FIHAV) 2014 closed its doors after a generous awarding of prizes this past Friday, Nov. 7. It’s said that Brazil was the exhibitor that saw the most growth in traffic from prior years, and Spain — with 132 participating companies — was the most-represented.

This statistic took into account Cuba’s presentation of the “Purse of Opportunity,” now a feature of the country’s new Foreign Investment Act, and the offers of special perks to businesses from the Mariel Special Development Zone. The Cuban proposals, fundamentally framed within the joint-venture model, places at the disposal of foreign investors concerns ranging from those that are active to semi-active – such as sugar refineries – to arable lands, as well as biotechnology and pharmaceutical enterprises.

In short, a promotional gamut of possibilities encompasses virtually all domains of production and services. The Cuban Revolutionary State, which confiscated everything, and everybody, at the start of its totalitarian experiment, now puts up for sale at least half of every asset they have remaining. Of course, this is just for foreigners.

When we Cubans on the Island approach these fairgrounds, we mark them with a bit of wonder, as distant spheres cut off from our reality — A Different Cuba, of which little or nothing has to do with us.

The same happens to us with tourist zones: Varadero, Cayo Coco or Cayo Roman, and with the medical and pharmacological research institutes — these are all spaces that are alien to the majority of Cubans.

They fill the isolated display cases/oases that are viewed and enjoyed by foreign visitors and a privileged few from the home turf. They are diverse pieces of this rigged jigsaw puzzle which the state has made of Cuba.

They are also a likely cause of the flattering, but inaccurate, comments from outsiders regarding our national scene. This whole dynamic – coupled with the crony-capitalist bad habit of ostensibly over-investing beyond the profit potential of the country — has created in the minds of many foreign speculators a “virtual reality” view of Cuba.

But our nation can only be itself. It is the product of all these different spaces, of its successes and failures, in which we Cubans all participate, be we here in the islands, in exile or in the diaspora spread across the world. It is this sense of joint belonging that unites and lifts us up, that makes us feel a certain, commonly-shared pride, when one or some of us stand out. It matters not if they are Cuban players in the American Major Leagues, artists, or volunteer doctors fighting Ebola in Africa.

Therefore, what we need to recover, so that we may join together as one people, are our liberties. We need to re-insert ethics into our value system, to once again place honesty above loyalty that is blind, deaf and dumb. In short, to relaunch a pluralistic democracy in which we all may participate with dignity, without exclusions, in the rights and duties appertaining to Cuban citizens – with no display cases in sight.

The present year, 2014, started and in the last trimester Cuba began to pack its bags. And it is something that has been repeated since the last century to the point of exhaustion; as if year after year at the end, it sneaks out the window to return, stealthily, by the back door. Plans, promises, programs, guidelines; anyone would say: “More of the same with the same people.”

But it seems that finally something has started to move, mainly in the economic and social sectors. Self-employment, taxes, workers contracted to private domestic companies; use of the land by farmers leasing it under usufruct; recovery of some rights to buy and sell, to travel abroad and return. Political prisoners freed between deportation and parole. New laws addressing foreign investment and work. continue reading

All a package of reforms from the authoritarian government, to maintain the governments authoritarian power, with the intention of consolidating state capitalism and guaranteeing a peaceful dynastic succession.

Logically, national and international observers have different viewpoints on these matters. From those who claim they are only cosmetic changes, to those who argue the opposite. It’s clear that the authorities still haven’t addressed what they owe the peaceful political opposition and the world community with regards to the ratification and implementation of the United Nations’ International Covenants on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and Civil and Political Rights.

Eityher way, there is a new synergy, with its actions, contradictions and surprises. Who would have thought, for example, that the newspaper Granma, the organ of the Communist Party, would publish an article from the New York Times almost entirely for domestic readers, as happened on 14 October of this year.

It is as if suddenly the maximum historical leadership of the country would turn to independent journalism. And the topic of the American embargo on Cuba is news again this month at the United Nations.

In addition, the next Summit of the Americas in Panama, to which Cuba is invited for the first time, brings an unique opportunity for the Cuban government to face that of the United States in a framework propitious for the initiation of conversations.

The current instability in Venezuela, the electoral swings in Brazil, the systemic Cuban economic crisis and the phenomena of international terrorism, seem to have forced the Island’s authorities top take seriously the need for a constructive dialogue with our closest neighbors.

One of the significant aspects of these possible meetings and perhaps an element that has conspired against their prior realization is that, over the past 55 years, eleven eleven presidents and their respective administrations have passed through the White House and Cuba the leaders have remained the same, each with their respective histories.

However, only through negotiations can conflicts be peacefully resolved. The embargo on Cuba, which has served to victimize the regime, is senseless and has fallen on the most vulnerable sectors of the people and should be negotiated.

It is, without a doubt, another violation of Cubans’ human rights and an obstacle to our just aspirations for freedom, justice and peace in democracy.

In recent years, every time the issue of Cuba comes up, whether in relation to the transition to democratic freedoms or to other topics of a political nature, from any place in the world, our repressed national island passions are unleashed. It doesn’t matter whether it’s about a concert at the Civic Plaza** in Cuba, such as the one held in 2009 by Juanes and other artists, or, as now, it’s about a letter with proposals to the President of the United States on Economic Issues.

The reactions for and against, beyond the extremes, show a plurality of opinions from Cuba’s emerging civil society. And this is logical, since democracy is essential plural, as the peaceful opposition is plural, in opposing the only thought embodied by the half century military dictatorships that remains in power in Cuba.

The letter referenced, signed by forty Cuban and American personalities based outside the island, invited President Barack Obama to east some of the restrictions imposed by the American embargo on Cuba. This set of long-standing laws, in our opinion and in the opinion of the majority of the countries of the international community, have been counterproductive for the Cuban people in every sense, justifying and strengthening in different ways the human rights violations of the Castro dictatorship, such that maintaining it is a difficult case to defend. continue reading

With regards to the text of the missive, focused primarily on aspects of the market and not on human rights, at least places in the public arena the agenda of the necessary and urgent changes in our archipelago.

The changes produced so far, determined by the new guidelines of the Communist Party and the Revolution, clearly point to an economy of state capitalism which guarantees the dynastic succession, under the processes of the so-called 21st Century Socialism. Thus they flirt, supposedly through the markets, with the merchants. But, as we already know from experience, real socialism can only be patched up, and participative democracy is the only form which is truly perfectible, and it is in that direction, without a doubt, that we must turn our course.

In December 1996, the Cuban Democratic Project (Proyecto Demócrata Cubano, or Prodecu) in an open letter to the U.S. government states: “It is a fact that the political acts of the leaders of the United States of America have influences and, at times, determined, the history of the Cuban people over time. The last four decades have not escaped this reality.”

And it asked that, “the authorities of the government of United States of American accept the proposals of the Cuban government to initiate unconditional talks with the purpose of negotiating the Cuban-U.S. dispute.”

It is this formula, of negotiating, that is the only one that can bring us peacefully to democracy, justice, and the rule of law. The essential elements are synthesized in the letter from the forty.

Translator’s notes:

*The title “Singing the forty” is a play on words. In Spanish the expression (from a card game) means “to read the riot act” or “to set the record straight”; Rafael is also referring to the forty (in fact, 44) signers of the letter to Obama.

**”Civic Plaza” is the original name of what is now called the Plaza of the Revolution.

The Second CELAC Summit ended in Havana this January 29th with more pain for Cuban protestors and the population than glories for the anti-democratic authorities, despite the praise received by the hosts of the for the most part satisfied and grateful visitors from Latin America and the Caribbean.

A few leaders from the hemisphere saved the dignity of democracy and in their speeches valued the human rights of all and for all. But the highest note hit in this regard was that of the Secretary General of the United Nations, his excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon, during a press conference, in which he pointed out some details of his conversations with the patriarchs of the island. In these, he said, he referred to the ratification of the United Nations Covenants on civil and political and economic, social and cultural rights by the Cuban government, who already signed them in 2008, and invited them to advance the theme of human rights in general.

The estimable presidents, prime ministers and Heads of Delegations at the meeting forgot, apparently, that on 11 September 2001, in Lima, Peru, the representatives of their governments in those moments, signed the Inter-American Democratic Charter, which in its Article 3 states:

“There are essential elements of representative democracy, among others, with respect to human rights and fundamental freedoms; the access to power and its exercise and its exercise within the rule of law; the celebration of regular, free, fair elections, based on universal and secrete suffrage as an expression of the sovereignty of the people; the plural regime of political parties and organizations; and the separation and independence of the public powers.”

It is not a coincidence that the Cuban regime is the only one among the 33 that make up CELAC that doesn’t recognize the political opposition in Cuba; discriminated against those who disagree with its authoritarian practices; arbitrarily detains peaceful opponents; violates the rights of assembly and peaceful association, among many others and maintains a real totalitarian power over society. The members of CELAC call this permissibility “unity in diversity” to save the consequent ignominy.

Another intelligent and interesting figure used in the statements and in the founding texts of CELAC, to justify the status quo of some undemocratic regime participants is that of “non-interference,” which on occasion converts, somehow “respectful of the sovereignty of others” into complicity with totalitarian states. Thus, in the Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace, in point 3 it points out:

“The commitment of the States of the region in strict compliance with their obligation not to intervene, directly or indirectly, in the internal affairs any other state and observe the principles of national sovereignty, equal rights and self-determination of peoples. “

Some sectors of Cuban civil society wanted to conduct a meeting where citizens of different political viewpoints would analyze the founding documents of CELAC. This has not been possible, to date, because of the action of the political police. If the authorities of the island, as would be logical, issued the Declaration of Havana in full, so that it could become known by Cuban citizens, then we, the opponents, would have one more document to discuss and on which to rule democratically. Let no one doubt it.

1 February 2014

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The new year 2014 was welcomed in Havana by the sound of canons. Twenty-one of them, so that the recent arrival would experience its first fright. In other parts of the globe, the authorities and the citizens welcomed it with fireworks, parties, hymns and songs. But here, to reaffirm that the old soldiers prefer old canons, pointed those from the La Cabaña fort, as always, at the city.

2013 left us in a December marked by the physical passing of Nelson Mandela, the South African Madiba who, after long suffering, finally rested. The official ceremony for his death coincided with the celebration of Human Rights Day. The football stadium in Johannesburg wasn’t big enough for the thousands of compatriots and representatives from all the world who went to pay a well-deserved tribute.

In heartfelt words, the secretary-general of the United Nations, Ban Ki-Moon, said there, “Mandela hated hatred. Mandela loved peace. Mandela showed a great capacity to forgive. It is everyone’s job to keep Mandela’s memory alive in our hearts.”

In Cuba this past month witnessed the unusual first non-unanimous public vote in the National Assembly. Probably responding to a script prepared in advance, but even so, it was interesting. The general-president had repeatedly referred to the need to end the formal unanimity of voting in the Assembly. But it was difficult for some deputy from his or her own free will to take the initiative. And this is because, lamentably, there still do not exist in this Assembly deputies who represent themselves.

The new labor code was approved by this legislature, giving the green light to the 20th Congress of the official Cuban Workers Center (CTC). As always, everything was approved, among which was the budget for the current year, 2014.

Now in this year, during the commemoration of the 55th anniversary of the triumph of the Revolution, celebrated in Santiago de Cuba on January 1, the general-president said in his speech “and I quote”: (…) to directly consult with the population on decisions for the development of society… “end of quote.”

So we ask ourselves: Why not consult with the people in a plebiscite about whether they prefer a multi-party system to the dictatorship of a single political party? And if, as he reaffirmed, this continues to be a revolution of the humble, for the humble and by the humble, presumably, as in al lthese years, some humble will continue being more humble than others, some equals more equal than others.

As so to begin this new year, we have the government declaration that the Revolution continues with more of the same after 55 years and, to ratify it, the police arrested several people from civil society for attempting to give toys to children on Three Kings Day.

What else could we expect after that twenty-one gun salute from the canons of yore.

7 January 2014

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In recent weeks we have heard some information in the United States media about the possibility of selling medicines produced in Cuba in that country, particularly Heberprot-P, a drug for the treatment of diabetic foot. On the other hand, the Cuban authorities continue to express themselves about the obstacles facing them in buying certain medications and medical instruments produced in the US, due to the restrictions occasioned by the politics of the US embargo on the island.

There are different opinions about this issue, both for and against, dismissing the urgencies of those priorities which should be considered: the diabetics in the United States who could be treated with Heberprot-P avoiding, in some cases, dangerous amputations of their extremities, and of patients in Cuba who can’t access treatments to cure them or to improve their quality of life because some medications and specialized instruments produced in the U.S. can not be purchased by Cuba.

Faced with any discussion on this issue, it is important to take into account Articles 12 and 15 of the United Nations International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the “Declaration on the Use of Scientific and Technological Progress in the Interests of Peace and for the benefit of humanity,” among other things.

For all these reasons, the undersigned, Cubans and Cuban Americans, members of independent civil society and citizens in general, affirm our determination to support, from a vision of respect for human rights, the possible analysis that would permit the expansion of everything related to scientific exchanges in the areas of drug development and medical techniques. Also, the marketing of medicines and specialized instruments for these purposes, in order to meet the medical care needs of people who need to be treated in both countries.

I met Chepe one afternoon when we both just happened to be at the home of Elizardo Sanchez. It was the end of the decade of the ’90s of the last century, and our organization, the Cuban Democracy Project, along with others of various political stripes, were working to put together a program of economic, social and political openings, called “Common Platform.”

This, once it was completed, was sent to Cuban governemnt authorities propsing to them its implementation.

Oscar Espinosa Chepe collaborated, from his expertise as an economist, with a group called Table of Reflection of the Moderate Opposition. With measured conduct, cheerful, respectful and modest, he combined within himself the qualities that made him deserving, in the words of Cubans of old, of being called “a decent person.”

A sharp critic of the systemic blunders that afflict the so-called Cuban socialism, Chepe suffered the intolerance of the Castro regime when he was imprisoned during the Black Spring of 2003. His death, which occurred in Spain on Monday, September 23, after a long, painful and irreversible illness, deprived our nation of one of its most capable and committed sons, and for those who knew him, of a fair and cordial friend.

My neighbor is a retired woman of the ’third age.’ Her last fixed job was at a tourist hotel on the beach. Now, despite the infirmities of old age, diabetes, and the orthopedic disorders she suffers from, she collects discarded aluminum cans on the beach try to balance her basic expenses with her income. Empty cans of soft drinks, canned beer and malts, abandoned and thrown everywhere, are the object of her search and collection for which she uses a small two-wheeled contraption and a sack of plastic fibers; she bends over, picks up the container, then places it in her sack and walks on, this is the routine of her new job.

The Raw Material Recovery Business pays eight Cuban pesos for every kilogram of aluminum, which is 72 empty cans. So to collect 24 Cuban pesos, one dollar or Cuban Convertible Pesos (CUC) — which is the same — she needs 216 cans, which is a very serious task for someone approaching old age. Ah! But not only that, she’s required to crush the cans in order to sell them to the raw materials place, so my neighbor, which is a stone that she has to take between both hands for lack of a better took, crushes them one by one on the balcony of her house. But what is surprising is that she is happy in her new deal, because it allows her to survive.

To work most of your useful life, providing goods and services, contributing to retirement funds, and then have these payments be symbolic, is widespread in our everyday labor market. You only hear or read about it in the media when they are talking about other countries, with regards to our own they remain silent, becoming silent accomplices, and as payment, they are the potential victims in the future. When we see old people in our environment searching the garbage cans, looking for something; when we see them selling trinkets or grocery bags in the corners, we should have the courage, all of us, to speak out and to demand attention to this injustice.

13 June 2013

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It extends straight between Reina Street and the Havana Malecon. I remember it from my childhood with its large and polished doorways, with its beautiful display windows of clothing stores, jewelry stores, toy shops and establishments of all kinds. There were several important intersections with other streets also engaged in trade and services in the center of the city with Zanja, San José, San Rafael, Neptuno, Virtudes and San Lázaro. La Plaza del Vapor, an ancient two-story building and a block area completely dedicated to retail stores selling hats, fabrics and textiles, signaled the beginning of Galiano as a commercial artery.

After being demolished at the beginning of the Revolution, with the pretext that they were going to build a residential building, the land was turned into a park. The most famous department store in Cuba, El Encanto, occupied one of the four corners of San Rafael, which it shared with the Flogar Store, La Moda furrier and the Ten Cent store.

After a fire caused by an act of sabotage, in the month of April 1961, the land occupied by El Encanto became another park. Two hotels are located in this major thoroughfare in the capital: the Lincoln and the Deauville.

Even a Catholic church shares space along Galiano between Animas and Virtudes: the Monserrate. The America apartment building with two movie theaters, and the Fin de Siglo and Epoca stores; glassware, coffee shops, ice cream parlors, banks, in short, one of the most important shopping streets of the city of Havana.

In Havana nights it was a pleasant to walk along Galiano, looking at the storefronts or windows, as they say here, under flashes of neon signs. At Christmas, the change of seasons, or just for entertainment, strolling through along Avenida de Italia, Galiano, was a party.

After half a century of Real Socialism everything changed. The lights and glare of Galiano are gone; apathy and chaos are enthroned on their sites as in the majority of the urban landscape of the capital. Now they are finalizing a capital restoration plan for this artery of the city. Paved roads, new lighting, projects to restore the water, sewer and gas; rejuvenated facades, and resuscitation of existing commerce.

But the main thing is still missing, the soul, which gives interest and real value to the property, movable and immovable: the owners. Those who are interested in maintaining, developing and advancing their businesses. They are the very essence of the market, and so, without any capitalist merchants there is no real interest in commerce.

Time will pass and, if small and medium private enterprises are not created, truly independent of the state, the Galiano recovery project will swell the list of failed experiments. It will not be alone there, after a few decades of doing the same scale of work on other commercial streets in Havana, such as Belascoaín and Monte, and, within a few years, everything was gone again. These experiences show that real changes that are necessary, not cosmetic ones, or we will continue on the dry wheel of absurdity.

14 May 2013

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For years we have we have been getting on with the opposition movement and we have never left off giving our support, however modest, to the cause of the democratisation of Cuba. It is a constant focus maintained by all those who are involved in the destiny of our country, in spite of the multiple difficulties we have to deal with in developing our work.

It is evident to us how slow it is for our work to actually germinate as a result of the continuous boycotting by the political police, but even so we never stop fertilising and watering our seed for the good of the nation. this time we are drawing up a programme with a multidimensional architecture with the aim of achieving the intercommunication and respectful debate between Cubans and the sustained and total articulation with the civil society in general by way of the executive project “Seedbed”.

With this project we try to outline to people what is our constructive and legitimate message – like all democratic opposition tries to do – to demonstrate to them the different alternatives of hope and reconciliation which exist in and for Cuba.

One option for Cuban society is simulation, indolence, emigration and irresponsible obedience and, as we indicate in the project, another is the ambitious objective of “transforming each subject into one who acts out his own personal and national destiny.”

Here I leave you with the link to read the promotional brochure of “Cuba 360.”

Urban Slums Report: The Case of Havana, by Mario Coyula – 2003

Click on image to open report. The report contains an excellent guide to housing in Havana and its terminology, for example use of the term "barbecue" for a makeshift platform built to gain floorspace.

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